Watford Ladies started the new year with a flourish in their resounding 5-0 victory over Plymouth Argyle in the Women's FA Cup third round.

A Katie O'Leary hat-trick had the Golden Girls well and truly in the driving seat before Helen Ward and Danielle Scanlon added further gloss in stoppage time to send them through to round four where they will travel to the winners of the tie between Fylde and Sunderland.

Ryah Vyse gave an indication of what was to follow when her shot crashed against the post early on before Emily Hill and Ocean Rolandsen threatened with deliveries from the right.

It was Rolandsen who provided the cross for both Watford and O'Leary's first just before the half-hour mark when she made space for herself to the right of the penalty area and clipped a ball to the back post where the striker was waiting to pounce.

O'Leary doubled the advantage seven minutes later after collecting the ball just inside the Argyle half. She charged at the visiting defenders before playing a one-two with captain Ward and finishing with great sang-froid.

Watford almost added a third before the break when Rolandsen again provided an inviting set-up, this time for Alysha Stojko-Down, whose rasping effort was only denied access to the net by Argyle's Katie Middleton.

However, they didn't have to wait much longer for goal number three, which came just moments after the second-period had begun.

Andrea Carid showed both strength and poise to evade her marker and find Lydia Huntley with a searching pass. She crossed to the back post, where O'Leary once again was lurking to round off her hat-trick.

The Hornets were made to wait until stoppage time to add to their tally, with their own goalkeeper Chrissie Wiggins denying Faye Ivall in the meantime.

But seven minutes of additional time was more than enough for Ward to convert from Emma Beckett's measured free kick delivery and for Scanlon to curl one around the visitors' keeper.

The fourth round ties are due to be played on Sunday, January 26.